Setaria barbinodis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths without keel; antrorsely scabrous; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 6–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches 0.5–1.5 cm long; sterile at the tips. Panicle axis pilose.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 8–15 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 1 per spikelet; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Herrman 1995.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.